Daniel Smith fought in the Revolutionary War, United States Senator, surveyor, maker of the first map of the state of Tennessee. Builder of Rock Castle in Hendersonville, the first stone house in Tennessee, started in 1784 but not completed until 1791 due to Indian attacks. Friend of Andrew Jackson.[2]

Land records and deeds in the collection include the 1784 North Carolina land
grant #56 to Daniel Smith for his service in the American Revolution – 3,140 acres “On
the North side of Cumberland River at the mouth of Drakes creek,” in Davidson (now
Sumner) County, Tennessee. This is the property that would become Smith’s home,
Rock Castle. This and one other land grant include the original surveys and plats of the
two properties. An 1813 Tennessee land grant to Daniel Smith is signed by Governor
Willie Blount. [2]

Maps

Thomas Walker (1715–1794) and Daniel Smith (1748–1818). Survey of the Virginia–North Carolina Boundary Line West of the Allegheny Mountains. 1779-1780. Pencil and pen and ink. The Library of Virginia. [3]

Daniel Smith and Col. William Preston made a map showing the headwaters of the Clinch and Holston Rivers on 8 July 1774, available at the following link: [4]

Fort Smith?

Daniel Smith may have had a fort or a home-fort when he lived at Indian Creek (now Tazewell) Virginia. There is a historical marker at 16 miles north of Lebanon on Highway 19, on Indian Creek in Russell County. But the accuracy is disputed. S9

Excerpt: 19th of May, 1783 letter written by Colonel Daniel Smith to Arthur Campbell, on that date, wherein he states: On my return from Cumberland, I came through Cassells Woods just after the Indians had been at the Fort at Hamlin’s Mill.(1) The people were greatly distressed: half of them had moved away, and the remainder ready to go, should the Indians make their appearance again. This was due, to their not having any assistance or protection from the interior...Last Wednesday the Indians murdered Joseph Ray, and several members of his family, also one Samuel Hughes, who happened to be there. Mr. Ray was a neighbor to Major (Thomas) Mastin. They have killed and made prisoner eight persons.

This essay includes descriptions of the interaction between friends Daniel Smith and Thomas Mastin including their move to Sumner County, Tennessee and how Thomas left his 268 acre farm to "My friend Daniel Smith and his heirs and assigns forever, in fee simple, after the decease of my wife, Agnes Mastin."

"The violence of Shawnee attacks in the summer of 1774 would cause both Daniel and Henry to relocate their families for better security. Daniel did not leave Horton's Valley, but moved the short distance to a site near the main road..."